


Patience is a Virtue

by Angelgod187



Series: The Davis Investigation (Part 1) [4]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Roller Coaster, Gavin being needy, Ken Doll Android Anatomy | Androids Have No Genitalia (Detroit: Become Human), M/M, Mentions of Blood, Nines and Hank are police partners, The bodies are androids, a pile of bodies, but only Nines, mentions of chastity cage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:47:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24894139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelgod187/pseuds/Angelgod187
Summary: The investigation of bodies leads to a stake out. Nines and Hank bite off more than they expected to chew on.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: The Davis Investigation (Part 1) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1790206
Comments: 4
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back!
> 
> We were in hot water before. Welcome to boiling! Things will be getting fairly graphic in this chapter, so please mind the tags, I'll be updating them with each chapter. 
> 
> I hope you've checked out [WickedWon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WickedWon/pseuds/WickedWon), they beta'd this story and have really good works of their own!

Body number six had the first slip up. A fingerprint on the bottom right of the note reading,  _ We can make metal whole for you _ . The longest note by far. A chilling message. Nines ran the finger print and it led to an immediate dead end. 

“James Davis. Died in 2032 due to chemical complications at a CyberLife facility he was working at,” Nines regurgitated for Hank. 

“This have any relation to the other Davis’?” Hank asked. 

Nines nodded. “Indeed. His twin brother, John Davis. Divorced, lives alone, is why I’m currently your partner. Robert Davis is in county jail awaiting his trial for murdering his own kids.”

“Cherry sounding family,” Hank grunted, turning to look around the mountain of red ice. This time, they were in a far more affluent neighborhood. Meant more room for the drug to be stacked in. 

“Indeed.”

“Have any idea how a man that’s been dead for eight years got his fingerprint on that note?”

“I don’t have the foggiest notion.”

“No point in wasting time with that lead,” Hank said, patting his shoulder. “Go and do your thing. We’ll meet back up and talk it out.”

Nines recorded and scanned, collecting physical and chemical evidence, but only the fingerprint was new. Oddly sloppy. A placed hint that would lead to nothing? A purposeful red herring. 

Frustrated, they returned to their desks at the station, keeping to their thoughts till they were standing before Fowler. 

The Captain’s arms were crossed over his chest, eyes training on the new evidence on the screen behind them. 

“Ideas?”

“We are still working with Connors theory of an android assisting the human counterpart to dispose of the bodies. The death count is escalating. The human wants to draw whoever the notes are talking about out,” Nines started. 

“Have you thought that maybe the notes are about you?” Hank asked. 

Nines knew his LED was red when he turned in surprise to look at his human partner. “Excuse me?”

Hank shrugged. “Think about what they say, strung together.  _ Hello Gavin, His cravings are false. We can try again. We can make metal whole for you.” _

“I’m not the only one made of such material,” Nines argued, knowing what point Hank was trying to drive home. He couldn’t believe the many late nights he’d woken himself up early to lay in bed with Gavin resting at his side, agonizing over the cryptic message and it might have been about him.

“What fun nickname does Gavin call you?” Hank pressed. 

“Ok, hold on,” Fowler got to his feet. “Do you have anything to base this off of?” 

“A hunch,” Hank admitted. “Other than the fact we have a new red ice ring going in the city, the murderers are killing the drug makers to send Gavin a message. Helping the city but threatening Gavin to get to Nines? This doesn’t make sense.”

“What if they mean Connor?” Nines wondered, voicing his worst fear. Hank turned on him, eyes sharp.

“Yeah? Wanna expand on that a little, Nines?” Hank demanded, voice tight. 

“Connor and Gavin’s tussle before the revolution is well known to anyone in the pen,” Nines started. “Not to insinuate anyone here is responsible for the murders, but Connor is incomplete. A prototype. He’s now Gavin’s partner.”

Hank’s jaw worked, clearly upset that in either case, Nines and Connor fit the limited description.

“You are heavily implying with this Connor theory that someone here is responsible,” Fowler reminded. 

“Playing Dexter,” Hank muttered, leaning against Fowler's desk on his fist, trying to lessen some of his emotional discomfort. “Maybe? But it’s weak.” 

“There is one other similarity,” Nines voiced. “The murdered are all previous employees of CyberLife.”

“We know,” Hank said, running his hand through his hair. “But all different departments. Thirium, AI, assembly production. That’s more on the DEA's side for tracking down the ring.”

“It doesn't help, but all of those people have had some part in mine and Connor’s production.”

“Fuck,” Hank and Fowler spit at the same time. Hank pushed off Fowler's desk, turning back to the blown up evidence on the screen.

“Whittling down those who could help you?” Hank wondered. The fingerprint Nines noticed on the note, his personal optical shot blown up on the Captains screen, glared at by his partner. “Then they themselves must be a Cyberlife employee?”

“Or someone who worked with them that knows something in the production of me and Connor and this red ice ring that they want to leak? Couldn’t blow the whistle before the android helping them got a hold of them?” Nines reasoned. 

“A ring that large starting to falter with in fighting…?” Fowler mumbled. 

“A ring in fighting because the red ice is a front,” Hank said, shocked by his own train of thought. Nines perked up as well. 

“For money?” Nines wondered.

“Money, research... protect whoever is involved with mutual destruction?” Hank listed off, a spark in his eyes, knowing he was onto something. 

“What are they working on then?” Fowler wondered.

“The notes are leading us in that direction,” Nines knew, processors working fast. “But we don’t know who they are after.”

“They want a second chance at an incomplete product,” Hank muttered, staring down at the floor. “Working to make someone better?”

“If they are looking to hurt either you or Connor, we need to find them. The media is getting restless as it is. You need to close this down.”

That was something all of them could agree on. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During stakeout, Nines and Hank have a serious conversation

For once in their relationship, Gavin was the one being clingy and needy. 

Nines ignored the human rutting against his leg while he made chicken soup.

“Gavin,” Nines warned, shooting him a glare. Gavin moaned, rubbing the chastity cage harder against Nines, as if that could help him. “If you don’t stop that, I’ll leave early.”

“Nooooo!” Gavin groaned, thrusting a few more times before throwing himself against the counter, pajama clad bottom swaying to entice his android. Nines bit his inner cheek, the damage warning focusing him back on Gavin’s dinner. 

This was the fourth day in a row he would be gone all night to stake out a building in the outskirts of Detroit that the deceased Davis brother used to own. Nines had a strong belief, a hunch Hank demanded he call it, the Thirium production was starting there. The building was still in the family, left for his kids should property prices continue to rise in Detroit. It was currently in Robert's name as the trustee, till the oldest kid turned eighteen. 

Tonight was the last night Fowler was letting his Lieutenant and Detective sit out there on nothing more than a probability. Nines was determined to make it work. 

Unfortunately, that left Gavin alone. Nines’ pump fluttered a little at the thought that Gavin missed him so much, trying to get a sexual response any way he could. Distracting himself from his lover was hard. This was for the safety of Gavin though. Potentially even for himself. He couldn’t fail. 

He did release Gavin from his chastity before he left, making sure half the bowl of soup was gone before donning his white and black jacket. Hank’s ‘Here’ message was received just as he entered the elevator. Perfect timing. 

The car dipped noticeably, Hank panicking with a correctly poised hot coffee splashing over and onto his lips. 

“Shit,” Hank muttered, tongue darting out to try and lessen the burn. “How much do you think you weigh?”

It was rhetorical but Nines couldn’t help answering. “I weigh exactly three hundred and twenty pounds.”

“Fucking hell,” Hank said, looking him over. “Look good for your size.”

Nines chuckled. “Thank you, Hank.”

Taking another sip, Hank pulled out and headed for the warehouse. They stayed quiet, the silence a companion along for the ride. Hank parked two miles off, Nines watching from the top of the shallow hill with his ability to zoom in at such a short distance. Hank grabbed his binoculars, looking around.

“Coast looks clear,” Hank muttered, dropping them down to grab for his coffee. The warehouse backed up against a nearly abandoned neighborhood, a lone structure overlooking dead lots. A car would be very noticeable. 

“It would seem so,” Nines said, a little disheartened. 

“Don’t worry,” Hank assured him, hearing his conflict. “When I was working the old red ice ring in the past, I refused to budge from this one stake out. They knew we were sniffing around the place and left it alone for a month. They had stock there, no matter how we looked we couldn’t find it but I knew the fuckers had it hidden in there somewhere. Sure enough, after that month, they had to go back and get it. And who was there? Fucking me.”

“And that’s how you got your rank,” Nines finished with a smile. 

“Got that fucking right,” Hank looked back out. “Patience is a virtue.”

Nines hadn't expected that phrase to be turned on him, but the stakes were so high. Him or Connor were in danger. By extension, Gavin. He couldn’t have that. 

“By the way,” Hank started. “How’s uh… how's Gavin holding up? He must be a wreck. Connor is a little relieved this is our last night. He trusts you and all, he just hates not knowing.”

“I haven’t told him anything and I’ve asked Connor to keep what you’ve told him to himself.”

Hank’s seat protested as the human turned quickly. “Nines, are you serious?”

“He could be far more attached than he already is. I have let him know as much as needed. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Nines. This directly involves him. What have you said to keep him placated? What about the multiple bodies?”

“Other investigations on our plate,” Nines said, starting to get a pit in his stomach. He knew where Hank was going with this, but didn’t want to hear it. “We should focus, Lieutenant.”

“Cut the shit, Nines,” Hank was upset. He hated when Hank was upset. He blamed the legacy code from Connor, but it wasn’t just that. Hank was promoted for a reason, out of all the others on the task force. He’s presence demanded respect, attention and full cooperation. 

Nines turned away from the building, looking at his partner. 

“Nines, you can’t cherry pick information for your partner. Gavin is effectively living a lie. What if something happens to you? I’m left holding the fucking bag!” 

“Nothing can hurt me, Hank. I will tell him everything when we get the evidence in the warehouse,” Nines promised, training his eyes back on the building.

“He’s going to fucking explode on you,” Hank promised, raising the binoculars back up. 

Nines didn’t retort, letting the small argument fester. Gavin would understand. Yeah, there might be a fight, but all their fights were short lived. If it was for his safety, Gavin would have to understand. Nines wasn’t sure he could live without the human. The mere idea that withholding this information could end their relationship was crippling. 

“Whatever you're working yourself up about, quit it,” Hank groused. “I need you of all people on your A game right now. Sorry for even bringing it up.”

“Yes, sir,” Nines said, shutting down the idea of Gavin leaving him all together. 

Hank’s phone suddenly started ringing. “Fucking A, Connor. Two hours, that’s all I-- Oh. It’s Fowler? Anderson.”

“Got your seventh, eight and how ever fucking many bodies there are,” Fowler’s voice rang out into the car. Android and human locked eyes. “It’s bad. Warn Nines before you get there.”

“Uh… about what?” Hank asked, reaching for the keys waiting in the ignition. 

“Just… go in first. Use discretion.”

“Thanks, Jeff,” Hank said, ending the call. Nines got the address and rattled off the directions to Hank. 

When they got to the scene, it was chaos. The warehouse was flooded with personnel from several counties. Nines even saw an unmarked FBI cruiser. Lights were still being set up to combat the darkness, but that didn’t stop people from coming in or out. 

“Stay here,” Hank pleaded. “I’ll come grab you.”

“Ok.”

Hank was out and power walking into the torn open wearhouse. 

It looked like a massive can opener was taken to the metal siding of the building, jagged ugly rips jutting up and out, ground to roof. Every human that walked in, walked back out in comatose shock. Androids looked bitter, still working, but keeping their heads down. It must be horrific. 

Hank came back out, standing still. His eyes were distant, a horrified expression slowly taking over. Nines jumped from the car, seeing the anxiety attack starting. He ran up to Hank, grabbing at the larger man. 

“Hank! Hank, look at me!”

Hank grabbed on to him, hard. “Fuck, Nines? Nines, don’t go in there,” Hank said, eyes going wild. “Not right now.”

Others around them were stopping, jaws dropping in shock and horror at Nines’ presence. Nines didn’t know how to process the expressions, all universal between human and android. Whatever was in there was directly associated with him or Connor. He had to see for himself, digest the evidence before it was ripped apart.

“Nines?!” Hank tried to keep him in place, but nothing could. Needing to see for himself what had everyone so rattled. 

Rounding the serrated metal siding, he froze. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things escalate. Gavin is called in to calm Nines down. Hank has to make a hard call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please. Please mind the tags.

Android bodies. Almost every model type, bodies on top of bodies piled up so high they nearly reached the roof of the monolithic building. At the apex, four RK800 models on bent knees, reaching up in reverence. An RK900 model, suspended with thick metal wires by its arms in a poor imitation of Jesus or God. Its chassis cracked open, plating ripped open as if a mortician had taken the jaws of life to it. Chest plates peeled back, legs and arms crudely exposed to the air, metal shining in the light. The RK900’s face had a serene smile. Behind it, the ceiling splashed white and yellow, driving home the God-like quality the murders saw the RK900 as.

Nines did a scan for one thing. All the bodies seemed to have it. Slowly approaching the closest android, shot in the head, Nines picked up the rolled up message from the old wound. 

“We found our answer.”

He picked up another.

“We will take him.”

Another.

“Wait for us, Gavin.”

“Get him out of here!” Someone shouted behind Nines. His RAM was so weighed down, in the moment he couldn’t process who it was. 

They did this. Only for their messages. They killed several thousand androids for just this. He wasn’t sure where they got his and Connors models… but in the moment, it didn’t really matter. They’d done it. Put their crimes on display as if wishing their own sins to be fine art. 

Nines ripped out the hold of whoever was trying to pull him away. This was his investigation. This was his scene to catalog and solve. Fighting through human holds, Nines grabbed more notes. Every dead android had one placed from the wound that killed them. All the notes were just those three messages repeated. Again and again. 

Eventually, a strong pair of arms wrapped up under his, hands pushing his head down, pinning him. 

“Stop, Nines,” Connor’s lighter voice commanded into his ear. 

Nines could break his predecessor’s hold if he wanted to. Not now. Not today. Nines relaxed with the note in his hand, letting Connor drag him back off the pile he was working himself up. 

Nines ignored the crowd that’d gathered during his episode, parting to let Connor through, still holding Nines in his grip. Nines was only let go once at Hank's car. Hank was sitting on the hood, smoking a cigarette. Hank wasn’t sorry for calling the calvary. A very petty side of Nines wanted him to be. 

“Calmed down?” Hank asked, crushing the butt of the cig under the heel of his work boots. 

“It looked like he was stuck in a subroutine,” Connor said, searching Nines’ eyes. 

Nines didn’t say anything, standing in place with arms dead weight at his side. Still trying to process the many, many bodies only a short walk from him. How it was that they got a hold of his and Connors models. The messages, the paint. How did it all come together? What was the point of such a spectacle? 

“I called Gavin,” Hank said, wiping his hands of the smell. 

Nines turned ice blue daggers on his partner. “You what?”

“Gavin is on his way,” Hank elaborated, lifting his chin in defiance. It was an open invitation. A dare for Nines to do anything in retaliation. “Wasn’t sure if you would break Connor to keep climbing up towards the top. I knew if he couldn’t, Gavin could.” 

Pissed off more than he could ever recall, without breaking eye contact, Nines walked over to the passenger side of Hank’s car. He ripped the door open and sat down, hard. Hank was forced up off the car as it bounced. Hank turned, his own blue eyes glaring at Nines. Nines gave him a fake smile. Two could play this game. 

CSI got the go ahead from Connor to start removing bodies. They started at the top to keep everything in place. Hank got the call to return. They’d found something. 

“You can join me, if you promise not to go nuts,” Hank said, his voice muffled through the car. Nines needed something to do with his growing nerves, knowing he was about to have one of the largest arguments with Gavin in their relationship. He hopped out the car, bypassing a worried Connor. 

“We found unique notes on the bodies of the RK800 and 900,” one of the android techs explained, holding the unfurled notes on open palms. 

“How were they set up?” Nines demanded, halting Hank from grabbing the first one. 

“The bodies were perfectly lined up, north to south and so on. Note on your left is north, then south, east and west. The last is from the RK900.”

“Thank you,” Nines said, cataloging it all. 

Note one:  _ He is incomplete _

Note two:  _ He has fallen to sin _

Note three:  _ He was never whole _

Note four:  _ He is still worthy _

With a shaky hand, note five:  _ We are here to make you whole _

“They  _ are _ talking about you,” Hank whispered in shock. “Bag these up and take it back.”

“Yes, sir,” the tech rushed off to do her job. 

“NINES?!” Gavin’s worried yell shouted out over the crime scene. 

He turned without even really thinking about it, reacting to the panic in his human’s voice. Gavin’s hair was moused, clearly in the throws of self made passion when Hank called. They locked eyes from across the newly made parking lot. Gavin rushed through the cars, stopping before Nines. He looked him over, making sure he was ok. 

“Lets go talk,” Nines said. Hank threw him his car keys to give the illusion of privacy. 

“Are you ok? Hank made it seem like you weren’t ok,” Gavin started, trying to look him over. “Did someone try to hurt you?”

“No Gavin, please wait. I’ll explain it all to you.” 

He led Gavin back to the car. He opened one door for Gavin and walked around the car to take the other. Once again the car bounced. Finally together, Nines knew this was going to be ugly. He grabbed Gavin’s hand, who scooted closer, worried mint eyes searching for answers. 

“Nines, please talk,” Gavin begged, leg bouncing nervously. 

Nines took a deep breath. “You and Connor found the first three bodies with the first note. After that, another three bodies appeared in quick succession over the past two weeks. They all had messages of their own.”

Gavin didn’t seem shocked. He squeezed Nines’ hand in encouragement to keep talking. 

“We believe they were talking about an android in their cryptic messages. We just couldn’t tell if it was me or Connor.”

Gavin’s eyes widened. “Wait, what? I knew you were lying about all those new bodies, but… they were talking about you two? The notes were addressed to me!”

“In the same conversation,” Nines barreled on, “we came to the conclusion that the red ice ring was a front, a way to get loads of money to produce… something. Now today, we know the notes were directed at me.”

Gavin’s hold tightened. “What do the notes say all together, Nines?” Gavin demanded.

“ _ Hello, Gavin  _

_ “His cravings are false. We can try again. We can make metal whole for you. We found our answer. We will take him. Wait for us, Gavin. His is incomplete. He has fallen to sin. He was never whole. He is still worthy. We are coming.” _

Gavin sat silent for so long, Nines patiences ran out. “Gavin, please say something.”

“I know what they’re talking about,” Gavin muttered. That was not at all what Nines expected him to say. He expected Gavin to explode on him. Not potentially help crack the case. 

“You know?”

Fiery green eyes met confused blue. “What is the one big difference in yours and Connors design?”

Nines took a moment, going over both design documents, thick as dictionaries when printed. It only took him two minutes to find the biggest differences. “I’m larger in size. I have blue eyes. I don’t have a sex organ system.”

Gavin waited a moment, as if Nines should be able to figure it out on his own. Bewildered in his findings, Gavin sighed, covering his eyes with his free hand. “Which one of those would make you incomplete to a group of psychos?”

Nines retched back, the car rocking with his sudden shift. “They can’t do that,” Nines insisted. “My chassis can’t be—“ 

“They say they’ve found the answer,” Gavin whispered. Nines flinched. “They are going to come after you. We need to tell Fowler.”

“No, I need to find them. Maybe bait them?”

Gavin’s head snapped up, going red with rage. “Absolutely not! Who knows what they’re capable of!?”

“We’ll set up a sting operation,” Nines continued. “I wouldn’t be alone.” He sent the information to Connor who was closer to Hank. Connor didn’t seem to like it either, based on not immediately replying. 

Gavin’s mouth opened and closed several times. “It’s too dangerous,” he insisted. 

A knock came from Nines window. He opened the door for Hank. 

Hank crouched down. “That’s about the stupidest plan I’ve ever heard of,” Hank started, looking at his partner, Connor behind him with his arms crossed over his chest, nodding in agreement. “But I think it’s our only option at this point. The FBI are already starting to try and worm their way in. Even one of those bodies is from out of state, and it’s out of our hands.”

“Fuck you!” Gavin tried to jump over Nines to get to the human. “Let me go! You have no idea what you're asking!”

“Calm down!” Hank ordered, voice cracking like a whip. Gavin stilled, breath coming in tight panicked puffs, but he didn’t move to assault his superior. 

“Ok. Now. If we think about this logically, Nines has a point. Either we have a controlled sting or they come out of nowhere and kidnap him however they think they can. We are talking about ex-CyberLife employees who made you. If anyone can take either of you out, it's them.”

Connor shifted from foot to foot, uncomfortable. Nines nodded in agreement. 

“Go home,” Hank ordered Nines and Gavin. “I’ll call you when we need you.”


End file.
